Education, Continuing

Proper drug information (DI) skills are essential for being a competent pharmacy practitioner. To effectively manage DI queries and clinical dilemmas, the practitioner should follow a systematic approach that includes identifying the requester, determining the "true" DI need and obtaining background information, categorizing the question, performing the search and analyzing the information, disseminating the information, and following up when appropriate.

Journal for Healthcare Quality: Official Publication of the National Association for Healthcare Quality

This article describes a process developed by Eastern Mercy Health System (EMHS), headquartered in Radnor, PA, to identify opportunities for quality improvement using defined outcome-based indicators in skilled nursing and long-term care (SN/LTC). The model is built on collaboration among the system's freestanding and hospital-based facilities; it includes a cyclical approach to the exchange of information.

Journal for Healthcare Quality: Official Publication of the National Association for Healthcare Quality

This article describes a knowledge transfer process that was developed by Catholic Health East (CHE), headquartered in Newtown Square, PA, and that focuses upon one indicator of care, physical restraint use, in the skilled nursing/long-term care setting. The values-based process focuses on preserving residents' rights and using comparative data sharing as the basis for identifying opportunities for improvement. Further, it builds upon a collaborative cyclical model employed by all the CHE System's freestanding and hospital-based long-term care facilities.

Nephrology Nursing Journal: Journal of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association

The sale of solid organs is illegal in many countries, but the reality is that it happens. This study investigated and identified the structure of sacrificing something important among compensated kidney donors in the Philippines by conducting in-depth, face-to-face dialogues from 13 participants in the town of Baseco, Manila, Philippines.

The authors present empirical data on therapeutic hypnosis and brief psychotherapy as a 4-Stage Creative Process of focused attention and positive expectancy in professional training workshops of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, the National Institute for the Clinical Applications of Behavioral Medicine, and the Milton H. Erickson Foundation. The authors developed a brief protocol for assessing the 4-Stage Creative Process, which is the core dynamic of the Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience.

As many medical practice administrators focus on the proper care and feeding of their organizations, they've developed the same ailment as other "caregivers"--they tend to their own professional development and needs as an afterthought. But as any self-preserving caregiver can tell you, nurturing yourself actually helps those you serve. How should administrators balance and respond to their own goals and preferences and their organization's needs--while anticipating changes in the broader environment?

Nephrology Nursing Journal: Journal of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association

The purpose of this classic grounded theory study was to explore what spirituality means to individuals who are American Indians receiving hemodialysis. Twelve women and 9 men ages 24 to 62, volunteered for this study. Informed consent was obtained, and in-depth interviews, field notes, and theoretical memos were completed. The metaphor "Prayer Warriors" described the core category of this study. Praying played a major role in the following categories: (a) suffering, (b) honoring spirit, (c) healing old wounds, and (d) connecting with community.

BACKGROUND: While some effort has been made to integrate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information in conventional biomedical training, it is unclear whether regulated Canadian CAM schools' students are exposed to research activities and continuing education, or whether topics such as evidence-based health care and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) are covered during their training. Since these areas are valued by the biomedical training field, this may help to bridge the attitudinal and communication gaps between these different practices.

Increased popularity of the Internet, along with the development of new software applications have dramatically improved our ability to create and deliver online continuing education trainings to professionals in the areas of nutrition and food safety. In addition, these technological advances permit effective and affordable measurement of training outcomes, i.e., changes in knowledge, attitude, and behavior, that result from these educational efforts.